I get upset at companies that use these stories of honor and courage that others have done as an advertisement for their companies. Pedigree company had nothing to do with the event but is using someone else’s good deed to raise profits for their own company. I loved the story, but all the good feeling was erased by the ad at the end. 🙁

Yeah, it does cheapen it, but if you think about any story or lesson we’ve ever heard, seen or been taught, they’ve had a sponsor somehow. Either it comes directly from our pockets or there’s an ad of some sort attached. Otherwise, the stories would simply stay as oral traditions, spread like rumours and about as interesting as that. If we want to be entertained by a story then we have to pay for it, one way or another. That’s the entire premise of theater, movies and music.

I see your point, but they are doing a service. Not many people know this story. Too often, in today’s society, people want to tear down our icons or at least make them objects of comedy. This was not the case.

I watched the superbowl last night and Verizon did something similar… they took several different stories of emergencies that needed first responders that really tugged your heart strings. BUT then they tailored their advertisement to the fact that the reliability of their phone system helped the people get help from these responders. This is what makes the difference in whether taking credit by a company is appropriate or not. I felt the Verizon ad was a valid tie-in to the company, but this Pedigree ad isn’t.